Wilted Rose
by Jade Cyclone
Summary: A figure from the past re-enters Kurama's lifeshe is the new assignment. But does Kurama still love her? Or is there someone else? KuramaxOC KuramaxHiei R&R please. UPDATED
1. A past uncovered

A/N: Well, here we go, my third story yay! *Grins broadly* anyway, you know the drill--Standard disclaimers: I don't own this brilliant anime/manga, wish I did, but I don't. I do however; own the plot, and my OC's Scarlet, Andrew, his mother, Damien and any other random character that is not in the YYH series.  
  
Wilted Rose  
  
Hiei sat lazily on Koenma's windowsill and watched Kurama as he leaned against the wall.  
  
"Kurama," The red haired would-be demon looked up at his friend. "How long has it been?"  
  
"Don't sound so annoyed Hiei." He answered with a slight laugh.  
  
"What do you mean? They're forty-five minutes late!" Koenma yelled from his desk.  
  
Kurama shrugged. "What else is new?"  
  
Hiei growled dangerously and leapt from his perch on the windowsill. "I'm leaving if they don't get here soon."  
  
Right on cue, some distance down the hall, muffled, but familiar voices could be heard.  
  
"You see." Kurama stated matter-of-factly.  
  
The voices became steadily louder as their companions approached.  
  
"Now boys, you can discuss this later, Koenma is waiting."  
  
"Listen carrot-top I won that last round and you know it!"  
  
"In your dreams Urameshi!"  
  
"What makes you think I would dream about you?" Disgust ricocheted off the walls. "I'll give you points for lasting so long, but all in all, I think you need serious help."  
  
Kuwabara, Yusuke, and Botan entered Koenma's office a few minutes later quite unceremoniously.  
  
"I'm terribly sorry for the wait Koenma sir, I found them in the arcade."  
  
Hiei had returned to the window and Kurama, who was looking rather amused, leaned back against the wall.  
  
"So who won?" He asked, unable to resist the opportunity for some fun.  
  
"Kurama," Hiei growled threateningly. "Do you know what happens to a fox that pisses a fire demon off?"  
  
"No Hiei, I don't."  
  
"The same thing that happens to anyone else who does."  
  
Kurama laughed nervously and watched as Yusuke and Kuwabara attacked each other. Even Hiei couldn't suppress a smirk as Botan proceeded to smack them with her oar.  
  
"Break it up you two," she said solemnly, retracting her oar. "Alright Koenma I think we're ready." The two rivals found their chairs, still grumbling.  
  
"It's about time, it's a wonder you two have made it this far as spirit detectives." The toddler exclaimed shaking his head.  
  
"What do you mean?" Yusuke yelled. "You gave us these positions pacifier breath!"  
  
Koenma and Yusuke glared at each other for some time until Botan stepped in again.  
  
"Now Koenma sir, what were you saying about a new assignment?"  
  
"Oh, right!" He said breaking his glaring contest with the hotheaded teen.  
  
"There is a new threat to the worlds."  
  
"All three of them?" Yusuke asked, suddenly alert.  
  
"A demon, not any ordinary demon mind you, has made her way into the Ningenkai."  
  
"Her?" Kurama questioned.  
  
"Yes, have any of you heard of a demon called Scarlet?"  
  
Kurama's eyes flashed momentarily in shock, but only Hiei seemed to notice. When no one answered, the young master heaved an exasperated sigh.  
  
"Have any of you heard of The Temptress?"  
  
Both Hiei and Kurama snapped to attention.  
  
"No." Kuwabara and Yusuke answered stupidly.  
  
"The Temptress," Hiei started. "Is just a legend."  
  
"I assure you she is very real." Koenma addressed him seriously. "In the Ningenkai she goes by the name Scarlet, and we have reason to believe that she has been living on Earth for a while; you see, about two years ago, we received reports of an S class demon that had been able to travel between the worlds."  
  
When he paused to take a breath the rest were left a silent moment to contemplate the new information. An S class demon? Using portals? That sort of thing wasn't possible.  
  
Was it?  
  
"We set up searches, but no matter what we did, we never came across said demon. That is, until we heard a rumor attached to a demon named Scarlet. Only then did we begin to see the big picture."  
  
"And that would be?" Kurama inquired.  
  
"Actually," Botan answered. "The big picture is a lot BIGGER than we'd originally anticipated. You see, the only way that any demon at that level could even dream of making it through, would be if there was a contradicting energy in her body that would cancel out her demon signature. But only if that were possible."  
  
"Is it possible?" Yusuke asked.  
  
"It shouldn't be."  
  
"But?" Yusuke persisted. There was always a "but".  
  
"In order for that to be possible, she'd have to be a hybrid."  
  
"A what?" Kuwabara whined. And they say that confusion is bliss.  
  
"So you're saying that she's half demon, half---"  
  
"Human." Koenma finished, cutting Hiei off.  
  
"But that shouldn't be an option at all!" Kurama exclaimed.  
  
"By natural law?" Koenma regarded them seriously. "No it should not."  
  
"But obviously it is." Botan stated for them.  
  
"Clearly." Hiei answered sarcastically.  
  
"So now what?" Kuwabara asked.  
  
"Well," Koenma sat thoughtfully, arms crossed over his chest. "Only two days ago she made herself visible."  
  
"Alright, stop talking in riddles here shorty, you're confusing Kuwabara."  
  
The carrot top was suddenly alert at the sound of his name. "That's right!" He said triumphantly. "Hey, wait a minute-Urameshi!" He yelled angrily at a snickering Yusuke.  
  
"Idiot." Hiei stated dryly.  
  
"Are you sure Kuwabara is the only one who is confused Yusuke?" Kurama chuckled.  
  
"Let's just get on with this shall we?" Botan sighed.  
  
"Right," Koenma started. Shuffling through his papers, he pulled out a blurry photograph. "Here."  
  
They all looked dumbly at the picture, and even Hiei's sharp eyes could only make out the figure of a woman, with some kind of green outfit on.  
  
"As you can see, none of us really know what she looks like."  
  
"So what do you want us to do?" Yusuke asked.  
  
"We need you to bring her to us, for a number of reasons. First, she is an outlaw that hasn't been seen in almost 17 years, second, she is highly coveted in the Makai, and she may have information we need. And finally, the only reason we were able to locate her is because of her sudden increase of spirit energy. For the past two days there have been brutal slaughters all over the place. Not one single person was left alive. We believe that she has come across a catalyst that has been increasing her power greatly. We're not really sure what she plans to do with it; in fact, we're not quite sure what it is period. You need to find her, AND the source of her power before it gets out of control and ends up in the hands of some loony out on a power hunt. Are we clear?"  
  
They all nodded in unison, except for Hiei, who offered his trademark "hn". As they stood to go, Botan showed them out and explained to them one last detail Konema had forgotten to mention.  
  
"Because none of us can be sure exactly who she is as a human, we need you to make her use the lioness as proof. Don't bring anyone in that you're not certain is The Temptress okay?"  
  
"Yeah sure." Yusuke waved her off absentmindedly. "Is there a time limit?"  
  
"Nope, you have as long as you need." She said cheerfully, producing her oar. "Well, I'm off, some teenager skipping school was just hit by a car." She winked as she hopped up and started to fly away.  
  
"Ha ha, very funny." Yusuke fumed as everyone else began to laugh.  
  
~*~  
  
Back in the Ningenkai, after a quick stop at Kurama's house to talk to Shiori, the awkward group of spirit detectives walked down the road to Yusuke's house. Knowing that Atsuko probably wouldn't be there, it was decidedly the best place to converse, and on Kurama's request, to form a plan.  
  
As they walked, Hiei was becoming impatient with Kurama. He was hiding something from the rest of them. Suddenly Yusuke spoke up, breaking him from his thoughts.  
  
"So, who is this "lioness"?"  
  
"Well," Kurama answered. "She's, actually---" he laughed nervously. "It's rather hard to explain."  
  
"Is it?" Hiei asked coolly. Kurama was taken aback by his implications.  
  
"The Temptress was one of the many feared of the Makai, she is an expert actress, making any believe what they want to believe and she's extremely good at it. On top of that, she's strong and doesn't just rely on seductive tricks to destroy an opponent. In a nut shell, she is a worthy adversary who lures her prey into a fight that they can't win." Hiei finished smartly. "But Scarlet is new," he added. "She never did have one distinguishing name."  
  
"What was she called back in the Makai?" Kuwabara asked.  
  
Hiei shrugged. "It varied depending on preference, lioness, sphinx, temptress, she answered to all of them." He smirked and continued. "There was one name though, that she hated, and the only ones who ever spoke it had a death wish or they were just stupid."  
  
"What was it?" Kuwabara prompted.  
  
"Kitten." Hiei answered flatly.  
  
Yusuke raised an eyebrow. "How is it you know all this? I thought you said she was a legend?"  
  
"She became a legend after she disappeared. Most great warriors do. But before then it wasn't uncommon to hear about her."  
  
"Oh." Yusuke nodded.  
  
Kurama took it from there, glancing at Hiei out of the corner of his eye as they walked.  
  
"She is more of an assassin then anything else, other than that, there is not much more that you don't already know."  
  
"Really?" Hiei asked turning to him, eyebrows raised all too innocently. They stopped walking as all eyes fell to Kurama.  
  
"What's that supposed to---?"  
  
"You know very well what I'm talking about fox." Hiei snarled.  
  
Kurama swallowed. Hard.  
  
"A while back, maybe twenty-five years ago, there was a growing rumor in the Makai that The Temptress had found a new playmate." Hiei started, spitting the words at Kurama. "At the time it was a well known fact that she did what she did for her benefits only, so the only logical explanation was that she had found a lover."  
  
"So?" Kuwabara asked. "Isn't that a good thing?"  
  
Hiei glared at him. "Moron, the rumor was that she had an infatuation with a certain thief in the Makai." He paused to look hard at his red haired teammate. "The one and only Youko Kurama."  
  
Kurama flinched. Dammit, this was NOT good.  
  
"And then, eight years later, about the time when Youko was thought to be killed, she disappeared."  
  
"But, well," Yusuke fumbled, looking for a way out for his friend. "It could have been a coincidence, right?" He said looking to Kurama hopefully.  
  
"It could have been." Kurama said answering him before Hiei could."But---"  
  
~*~  
  
I'm really proud of myself for this; I truly believe I've stepped up a level as a writer. Although, I must admit that the characterization had me wading into deep water. I was afraid that I would "over use" certain characters, like Yusuke and Kuwabara, because they are simpler and easier to relate to. But I did however, find that it was much easier to fit all the necessary humor as well as drama in, if I pretended that I was watching them on just another episode of Yu Yu Hakusho, instead of writing it. And I must say that I'm rather pleased with the results.  
  
If you read closely, you'll find an underlying theme of jealousy between Hiei and my OC, this, as it turns out, will be the basis for my story. But since Hiei isn't exactly one to outwardly show his emotions, it will be very subtle.  
  
I believe that my favorite scene was: "Alright, stop talking in riddles here shorty, you're confusing Kuwabara."  
  
The carrot top was suddenly alert at the sound of his name. "That's right!" He said triumphantly. "Hey, wait a minute-Urameshi!" He yelled angrily at a snickering Yusuke.  
  
"Idiot." Hiei stated dryly.  
  
That line still makes me smile ^^.  
  
Though another problem I encountered was with my OC, Scarlet. There was soooooo much information about her that I needed to cram into one chapter, I felt that I may have overwhelmed everyone with her description *sweatdrops*. But I hope you'll thank me later, it'll make chapters to come a lot clearer. All in all, I think that this chapter is a success, but you tell me.  
  
All questions, comments, and/or reviews will be responded to in my authors notes, and as for updates, I'm not quite sure when the next is coming, but have faith, it will. 


	2. First lead

A/N: Aw folks, I am soooo very sorry about my absence! But I'm back now ^^ so, let's see what I can cook up for you eh?  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own it...*sighs*   
  
~*~  
  
Wilted Rose  
  
~*~  
  
"But?" Yusuke prodded.   
  
"But it wasn't a coincidence was it fox?" Hiei cut in. "She disappeared when you left, and now she's come back for you...for old times sake."  
  
Normally, Kurama wasn't much for anger. Hardly was there a time when he couldn't calm his emotions. A level head was important in battle. But, Hiei had never been so bold as to test him, and if he didn't stop...  
  
Without a word, the kitsune walked by them at a natural pace intent on making it Yusukes house before he beat his partner into the ground. Why was Hiei doing this to him anyway? It hurt him to realize that friend didn't trust him enough to explain things on his own time.   
  
Sighing, he ignored the heated argument behind and kept walking. Confusion and unwanted memories crashed over the former Youko as he continued. Things that should have been locked away for good had escaped for an encore.   
  
  
  
Two bodies lay contentedly together, hidden away for none but them to know. With a groan, the taller body shifted restlessly beneath his lithe partner as he noticed the sun rising over the lush green forests of Makai.  
  
Stirring, the woman slowly opened her deep ruby eyes and Youko watched sedately as her pupils slit, adjusting to the light. Yawning, she placed her head back on his chest, her thin blonde hair spilling out over them like a blanket of gold silk.   
  
Her growled warningly, causing her to look up with an amused grin.   
  
"You know, I was sure I told you that I wasn't a morning demon."   
  
Pushing her off gently, the notorious Youko stood and stretched, turning back to watch her curl up in the grass. Her tail flicked back and forth lazily, her ears twitching at the slightest sound. She was watching him, her eyes glinting in the rising sun...turning them blood red.   
  
"Besides, you know it is in the darkness that I thrive," she purred suggestively, baring her pearl fangs.  
  
Responding with a smirk of his own he bent lower and picked her up, throwing her over his shoulder.   
  
"Come on," he laughed, a rarity for him. "We've got work to do."  
  
Suddenly, Kurama was thrown out of his revere and onto the sidewalk with a small grunt. Blinking, he realized painfully, that he wasn't alone. A small boy was picking himself up off the sidewalk beside the fallen kitsune. He couldn't have been any older than ten, with wide intelligent blue eyes and a mess of deep chocolate hair.   
  
Wincing as he stood, he seemed to only just notice his victim and a look of distress clouded his eyes. Bowing, he held out a hand for the red head, who took it gratefully. But as soon as their hands touched, Kurama felt a surge of energy run through his fingers and into his arm. With a small yelp, the boy let go and fell backwards on his butt again. Cradling his arm, he looked at Kurama with fearful eyes.   
  
"It's not a problem," the teen soothed, picking himself up. In all honesty he felt...stronger. "Are you alright?"  
  
Nodding hesitantly, he too picked himself up but seemed a bit apprehensive about getting to close to the older teen. Kurama frowned. Had he hurt the boy?  
  
"Are you sure? Did I hurt you?"   
  
This time he shook his head and turned to leave, keeping his distance, when the kitsune noticed a young man and what seemed to be his wife running towards them.   
  
"Wait!" he called to the boy who turned once more to question him with his eyes. "Are those your parents?"   
  
The boy gave him an odd look before turning around to squint down the sidewalk to get a better look at the two. He jumped a bit at the sight of them, but when he looked back to Kurama he was pulled into a rough embrace before he could say anything.   
  
"Oh, thank you sir!" the woman beamed.  
  
Kurama smiled gently as the man crushed the boy in a fierce hug.  
  
  
  
"It's no problem."  
  
/...please.../  
  
Kurama blanched, his emerald orbs locking with deep royal blue.   
  
  
  
"Did you...?" he stopped crouching down. "Did you say something?"   
  
Suddenly, the boy looked fearfully between the two adults as if they would grow horns and produce pitchforks from thin air. Then he turned to Kurama, his eyes pleading.   
  
The man cleared his throat forcefully, picking the boy up.   
  
"Well, thank you sir, but I'm afraid there are things that my family and I must attend to."  
  
/Please! Don't let them.../   
  
"Hey!"   
  
The kitsune turned, shaking his head as Yusuke and the others caught up.   
  
  
  
"What was that all about?"   
  
"An accident," he answered coolly, watching the family go. "Unless of course, you've found some incriminating evidence to prove otherwise."   
  
Hiei glared at him, but Kurama just started for the house again. Yusuke watched him go, feeling somewhat guilty about his friends distress. But, didn't they deserve to know?   
  
/ HELP ME! /   
  
They all stopped dead in their tracks, heads snapping in every direction.   
  
  
  
"What the hell was that?" Yusuke cried, whirling around. But no one else seemed to hear a thing.   
  
Hiei, Kuwabara and Kurama were all looking about too. But just as Yusuke realized it, so did they. Only they had heard the cry. People were walking to work as normal. Children running through the park...  
  
"The park!"   
  
The others turned just in time to see their red headed friend vanish across the road towards the green and flowers.   
  
"Damn fox," Hiei spat before vanishing in a blur.  
  
Kurama was flying across the grounds. That voice...he'd heard that voice before. But too late did he realize that the boy was different. And powerful.   
  
/PLEASE! Some---/   
  
Then the voice cut off, and the kitsune found himself standing in a dark clearing in the woods behind the park. He breathed deeply. This was his power; this was his strength. He willed the earth to tell him what he wanted to know. A branch rustled to his left and he dashed through the bushes after the sound, not bothering to acknowledge the koorime who had followed him.   
  
All of a sudden, a blur of color rushed by him, only to pause abruptly.   
  
She was a tall slender woman; deep, thick burgundy locks bouncing around her waist. Her eyes, a calculating sea green, locked with his emerald ones for only a brief moment before the kitsune realized that she held something protectively in her arms.   
  
The boy.   
  
A strained moment passed between them, each one trying to decide what to do. Her eyes darted over his shoulder for a moment as Hiei landed gracefully by his side. She slid her foot behind her, resting into a defensive stance.   
  
The woman narrowed her eyes, as if looking straight through them, when the boy let out a small whimper and looked up from her shoulder as two figures crashed through the brush. It was the boys' parents, whom Kurama had helped earlier. The woman recognized him and ran to his side, her eyes wide and pleading.  
  
"Sir, my boy! She's---"  
  
And then, the woman and the boy were gone.   
  
"NO!" the man growled slamming his fist into the tree.   
  
Hiei looked to Kurama and then to the couple before disappearing once again.   
  
"It'll be alright," the former Youko assured, taking the woman by the shoulders. "My friends are waiting out in the park. A tall man with orange hair, and a shorter one with black hair; I want you to find them and wait with them...we'll get your son back."  
  
"Thank you," she nodded tearfully heading back through the brush with her husband.   
  
Hiei chased after her, his brows furrowed in concentration. Her graceful movements through the trees made it hard for him to keep her in his sight. The jagan glowed under his headband and he smirked. It mattered little, no one could hide from him for long.   
  
Suddenly Kurama was running with him, his rose whip coiled in his fist. Hiei drew his katana, glancing at his partner.   
  
"ROSE WHIP!"   
  
An anguished cry ripped through the forest, as the woman fell towards the ground. At the last moment, she turned her body, taking the brunt of the impact. The boy fell from her arms, lying prone in the grass a few feet away. Blinking, she looked towards him and reached out her hand towards his pale face. The boy was unconscious, knocked out by the fall.   
  
Kurama watched them with mixed emotions that even Hiei could not discern from his emerald orbs.   
  
Her energy level was small, probably only class B if she was a demon as he had thought. This boys apparent psychic ability would be coveted in the Makai...her motives were clear, and Kurama showed no mercy to bounty hunters.   
  
She stood, readying herself and assessing the situation. They were both high-class demons, and her leg was injured. Though, recalling her pursuit through the forest, she realized that her speed wouldn't be much help against the smaller demon. It was futile, but she needed to get away. Now.   
  
Suddenly her knees buckled beneath her and she hit the ground painfully. She looked to the red head, who was staring at her smugly and then to his whip, now laced with her blood.   
  
"Poison..." she whispered, her eyes clouding over.  
  
Hiei looked to his partner and then back to the woman who was fighting to stay conscious. His ruby orbs widened in realization.   
  
"Is this...?"   
  
"I don't know Hiei. I've never seen her as a human."  
  
The koorime nodded. So, Kurama hadn't killed her for a reason. And then there was the boy. He rolled his eyes, great, more babysitting.   
  
"You should take him back to his parents." Kurama said, turning to him as if reading his thoughts.  
  
"No..." the frail whisper caught their attention. "You...can't---"  
  
"Can't what? Rob you of your prize? Pathetic." Hiei sneered as he walked by her and picked up the boy before disappearing in a black blur.   
  
She looked at Kurama, her eyes glazing over, clouded with pain. She began to topple, and the kitsune made no mover to catch her.   
  
"What have you done...?"   
  
Her body hit the ground with a soft 'thud' and she spoke no more.   
  
~*~  
  
A/N: Well, there you have it. Sorry for the wait, and I'm not so sure exactly when the next update will be. But, bare with me, it will come.   
  
Thanks for your support:  
  
Rin the Kitsune: Yes, he is a bit jealous ^^ that's okay though, we all know that he WOULD be.   
  
Youko Suiichi: I know, I know how you feel. But it will even out I promise ^^.  
  
lessa4: Yes, I know you're dumb. That's okay though *snickers*.   
  
Midnyte Raven: Yay! I updated ^^ *is hoping she'll take the hint* Thanks for the compliments! I think my favorite scene in here was the flashback. *Shrugs* I thought it was cute.  
  
hasuko: Hmm. I guess you'll have to see *grins evilly*.  
  
anime-fan993: I hope you liked it ^^  
  
Kagome Rain: Thanks ^^; I think...  
  
Queen of Anime: Thank you for your encouragement! I was so happy that someone could review their support like you did ^^. You snapped me back into the swing of things!   
  
Well, thanks again! Any and all reviews are appreciated...you know the drill: R&R! 


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